Choose the best answer:
A typical day now involves a couple of hours practice in the morning before going into college and attending classes. I spend a lot of time in the library, listening to music, trying to learn and become familiar with new pieces of music. One downside to choosing to study and (34) ______ a career in music is that you end up spending hours and hours by yourself. However, I also try to spend time at college meeting other people and networking. The more musicians I know, the more likely I am to be asked to play for others. The more I play, the better known I become and in the music business it's all about recognition and getting your name out there. (35) ______, it's important to get involved in as many performances as possible and take part in competitions so that as many people as possible see you perform and know who you are. It’s a very (36) ______ industry. Ultimately, if I am asked to play and get given a job it means that someone else loses work and sometimes it feels like a constant battle. You can't help being drawn into an artificial world (37) ______ you are constantly comparing yourself to others and are always worried about what (38) ______ think of your performances. In the real world outside of college your audience is much wider

Population in big cities

A United Nations report on world population trends has provided some interesting information for thought on the future demographics of our planet. The world’s population is currently 6.5 billion and is set (1) ________ and level off to about 9 billion people. The report says population explosions will occur in Africa and Asia, but not in the (2) _________ of the world, “Considerable diversity exists in the expected population growth of countries. The population of many countries, (3) __________ in Africa and Asia, will increase greatly in the coming decades.”  (4)___________, population levels in developed countries are expected to fall, because of decreased fertility rates caused by increased contraceptive use. The report also indicates half of the world’s population will be city (5) _________ by 2007. That is a huge jump from the figure of 30% urbanization in 1993. The five most populated cities today are Tokyo (35 million people), Mexico City (19 million), New York (18.5 million), Bombay (18.3 million) and Sao Paulo (18.3 million). In 1950 only Tokyo and New York had populations of more (6) _________ 10 million people. By 2050 there will be 22 cities of that size. The report concludes, “the current population picture is one of dynamic population changes, reflected in new and diverse patterns of childbearing, mortality, migration, urbanization and ageing. The (7) ___________ and consequences of these population trends present opportunities as well as (8) __________for all societies in the twenty-first century.”

(2) ________

Choose the best answer:
The first traffic signal was invented by a railway signaling engineer. It was installed outside the Houses of Parliament in 1868. It (1) ______ like any railway signal of the time, and was operated by gas. (2) ______, it exploded and killed a policeman, and the accident (3) ______ further development until cars became common.(4) ______ traffic lights are an American invention. Red-green systems was installed in Cleveland in 1914. Three-colour signals, operated (5) ______ hand from tower in the (6) ______ of the street, were installed in New York in 1918. The first lights of this type to (7) ______ in Britain were in London, on the junction between St. James‘s Street and Piccadilly, in 1925. Automatic signals were installed (8) ______ year later. In the past, traffic lights were special. In New York, some lights had a statue on top. In Los Angeles the lights did not just (9) ______ silently, but would ring bells to (10) ______the sleeping motorists of the 1930s. These are gone and have been replaced by standard models which are universally adopted

Choose the best answer:
At 19, Ben Way was already a millionaire, and one of a number of teenagers who _____(1) their fortune through the Internet._____(2) makes Ben‘s story all the more remarkable is that he is dyslexic, and was_____ (3)by teachers at his junior school that he would never be able to read or write properly.‖ I wanted to prove them_____ (4)―, says Ben, creator and director of Waysearch engine which can be used to find goods in online shopping malls. When he was eight, his local authorities_____(5) him with a PC to help with school work. Althrough he was_____ (6)to read the manuals, he had a natural ability with the computer, and encouraged by his father, he soon began_____(7) people $ 10 an hour for his knowledge and skills. At the age of 15 he _____(8) up his own computer consultancy, Quad Computer, which he ran from his bedroom, and two years later he left school to_____(9) all his time to business. ―By this time the company had grown and needed to take_____(10) a couple of employees to help me‖, says Ben.That enabled me to start doing business with bigger companies.It was his ability to consistently overcome difficult challenges that led him to win the ―Young Entrepreneur of the year‖ award in the same year that he formed Waysearch

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
 Many parents believe that they should begin to teach their children to read when they are slightly more than toddlers. This is fine if the child chows a real interest but forcing a child could be counter- productive if she isn't ready. Wise parents will have a hopeful attitude and take the lead from their child.(1).........they should provide is a selection of stimulating toys, books and other activities. Nowadays there is plenty of good material available for young children, and of course, seeing plenty of books in use them to read.
Of course, books are no longer the only source of stories and information. There is also a huge range of videos, which can reinforce and extend the pleasure a child finds in a book and are (2)........helping to increase vocabulary and concentration. Television gets a bad review as far as children are concerned, mainly because too many spend too much time watching programmes not intended for their age (3).......... Too many television programmes induce an incurious, uncritical attitude that is going to make learning much more difficult. (4)............... , discriminating viewing of programmes designed for young children can be useful. Just as adults enjoy reading a book after seeing it serialised  on television,  so children  will pounce on books which (5)............. their favourite television characters and videos can add a new dimension to a story known from a book.
 

(2)..................................

Choose the best answer:
Do you ever wish you were more optimistic, someone who always (45)____ to be successful? Having someone around who always fears the worst isn't really a lot of (46)____ - we all know someone who sees a single cloud on a sunny day and says, 'It looks like rain.' But if you catch yourself thinking such things, it's important to do something about it. You can change your view of life, according to psychologist. It only takes a little (47)___, and you'll find life more rewarding as a (48)____. Optimism, they say, is partly about self-respect and confidence but it's also a more positive way of looking at life and all it has to (49)____. Optimists are more (50)_____ to start new projects and are generally more prepared to take risks. Upbringing is obviously very important in forming your (51)___ to the world. Some people are brought up to depend too much on others and grow up forever blaming other people when anything (52)____ wrong. Most optimists, on the (53)____ hand, have been brought up not to (54)____ failure as the end of the world - they just get on with their lives

Choose the best answer:
The overall outlook for the hotel and tourism industry in Vietnam is very (1)____ . Tourism is viewed as an important economic (2)____ in the future development of this country, and it is easy to see why Vietnam , among the countries in South East Asia, has become increasingly popular as a new (3)____ destination. The sublime beauty of the country‘s natural settings is very (4)____ . The sights, the sounds and the tastes of Vietnam leave a lasting memory for many foreign (5)____ . Its key destination such as Dalat, PhanThiet, Hoi An or NhaTrang are offering, indeed, great tourism (6)____ . Combine this with the friendly nature of the Vietnamese people and the current political (7)____ , and we are set for solid growth pattern for the years to come. It is therefore not a surprise that foreign (8)____ to Vietnam have steadily increased during the past few years. Also important is the increasing demand from the domestic market. It is projected that 17 million domestic (9)____ will make a short trip in 2005 within the country for leisure and (10)____

Choose the best answer:
Minor illnesses have a nasty habit of striking (1)______ the wrong time, don‘t they ? (2) ______ you have a pile of things to do at work and even more on your plate at home, the last thing you want is a (3) _______ throat or a tension headache to drag you down. (4) _______ this summer, when you‘re feeling (5)_______ the weather, remember that a visit to your (6) ______ pharmacy (7)_______ be a real bonus in helping you get the right remedy to ease your symptoms. But it‘s not (8) ______ the medication that assists the cure – only at a pharmacy will you find expert (9)________ from a highly trained health professional. Just try asking a supermarket shelf what it (10) _______ for family heath problems !

Choose the best answer:
There can be no (1)...........at all that the internet has made a huge difference to our lives. Parents are worried that children spend too much time playing on the internet, hardly (2).......... doing anything else in their spare time. Naturally, parents are curious to find out why the internet is so attractive, and they want to know if it can be harmful to their children. (3)........... parents worry if their children are spending that much time staring at their computer? Obviously, if children are bent over their computers for hours, (4)............in some game, instead of doing their homework, then something is wrong. Parents and children could decide how much use the child should (5). ..........of the internet, and the child should give his or her word that it won't interfere (6)............homework. If the child is not holding to this arrangement, the parents can take more drastic (7)............. Dealing with a child's use of the Internet is not much different from negotiating any other sort of bargain about behaviour. Any parent who is (8)..........alarmed about a child's behavior should make an appointment to(9)................the matter with a teacher. Spending time in front of the screen does not necessarily affect a child's at school. Even if a child is absolutely crazy about using the internet, he or she is probably (10) ............ through a phase, and in a few months there will be something else to worry

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
Under the Medicare insurance policy, people approaching 65 may enroll during the seven-month period that includes three months before the sixty-fifth birthday, the month in which the birthday falls, and three months after the birthday. However, if they wish the insurance coverage to begin when they reach 65, they must enroll three months before their birthday. People who do not enroll within their first enrollment period may enroll later, during the first three months of each year. Those people, however, must pay 10% additional for each twelve-month period that elapsed since they first could have enrolled.
The monthly premium is deducted from social security payment, railroad retirement or civil service retirement benefits.

To start coverage by Medicare on their sixty-fifth birthday, people must apply     .

Choose the best answer:
In their attempt to ensure higher (1)……., TV producers have developed a whole new breed of programmes (2)……. real people. In Europe the most famous of these (3)……… reality TV shows was probably Big Brothers, where 12 ordinary people volunteered to live under the watchful eye of TV cameras 24 hours a day. In America, the top show was Survivor, based on a similar concept, in which 16 constants are abandoned on a desert island. But the ultimate example of the (4)………… must surely be The Osbournes, first(5)…….on MTV in 2002, in which the homelife of rock star Ozzy Osbourne and his family was laid bare to public scrutiny. Obsourne himself was already a(6)……name as the former lead singer of the highly successful heavy-metal group, Black Sabbath, The show was described as a real-life sitcom because it(7)………light on Ozzy‘s softe, more humorous side. It revealed his (8)…………….. to his teenage kids, even though he was often heard yelling and (9) ……….at them. The programme (10) ……………millions for the Osbourne family and certainly blurred the boundaries between reality and television

Choose the best answer:
Market research has become more and more important in recent years. In some organizations, in fact, managers will not initiate any activity without market research to back them up. The first thing to be said about market research is that it is not an (1)___to management decision making. No form of market research, no matter how deep, complicated and detailed, can ever be seen as a substitute (2)_____ creative decisionmaking by professional managers. At its very best, all it can do is (3) _____ some doubt and clarify the nature of the problem. It may even be seen as a tool which can improve the (4)_____ of decisions but it is not in itself a decision-making mechanism. Market research, in (5)_____with a number of other approaches in marketing, suffers from the frequent (6)_____ that it is not really accurate. Market research results can never be completely accurate because they (7)____with a dynamic, ever-changing marketplace. It is vital that this is understood by everyone with an imagination when considering market research results and when making any (8)____ to apply them in the marketplace. Lastly, it should always be remembered that market research is not an end in itself but simply a (9) _____ by which some degrees of risk can be removed from marketplace activity. If no activity results from the research, then the entire exercise has been completely (10)_____.

Choose the best answer:
When you read something in a foreign language, you frequently come across words you do not (45)______ understand. Sometimes you (46)______ the meaning in a dictionary and sometimes you guess. The strategy you adopt depends very much upon the (47)______of accuracy you require and the time at your disposal. If you are the sort of person who tends to turn to the dictionary frequently, it is (48)_______ remembering that every dictionary has its limitations. Each definition is only an approximation and one builds up an accurate picture of the meaning of a word only after meeting it in a (49)__________of contexts. It is also important to recognize the special dangers of dictionaries that translate from English into your native language and vice versa. If you must use a dictionary, it is usually far safer to (50)________an English- English dictionary. When you read something in a foreign language, you frequently come across words you do not (45)______ understand. Sometimes you (46)______ the meaning in a dictionary and sometimes you guess. The strategy you adopt depends very much upon the (47)______of accuracy you require and the time at your disposal. If you are the sort of person who tends to turn to the dictionary frequently, it is (48)_______remembering that every dictionary has its limitations. Each definition is only an approximation and one builds up an accurate picture of the meaning of a word only after meeting it in a (49)__________of contexts. It is also important to recognize the special dangers of dictionaries that translate from English into your native language and vice versa. If you must use a dictionary, it is usually far safer to (50)________an English- English dictionary

Choose the item among A, B, C or D that best answers the question about the passage: 

"Many people think that we can learn a lot about the culture of a foreign country simply by living in that country. However, this is not necessarily true. Often, the longer we stay in a foreign country, the more we realize how little we actually know about the culture of that country.
 Books and talks about other people’s culture can even be dangerous because they concentrate on cultural differences and exaggerate national character, and sometimes a lot of information they contain is untrue.
 In a study recently carried out in Britain, people were asked to make a list of anything that they thought was typical of Britain and would interest a foreign visitor there. Most mentioned Shakespeare, the Queen, village inns, English folk dancing, English castles, and fish chips wrapped in newspaper. Although all of these characters can be found in British culture, they do not show the real interest of ordinary British people: (They are, in fact, simply stereotype - that is, general character which people wrongly think are typical.) What is surprising is that they were suggested by British people themselves as representing their culture. If people have such a wrong impression of their own culture, how much false would their impression of other culture be!"

2. It is hard to learn about a country’s culture from books because such books ….

Choose the best answer:
Beatrix Potter was a story writer chose books about animals have been translated into many languages and read by both children and adult. (1) ________ being an author, she was also regarded as a very successful farmer. Born in London in 1866, Beatrix was (2) ________ for at home by various servants. Every year she (3) ________ the days to her annual holiday in the countryside. She would (4) ________ to her London home small animals which she (5) _____ and drew. As she grew up, she entertained other children with drawings and stories about these animals. In 1901, she printed a book at her own (6) ________ called ‗The Tale of Peter Rabbit‘. So many (7) ________ were sold that she bought a farm, where over the next eight years she wrote many other stories. They all sold very well and readers liked their detailed color drawings. With her growing (8) _______ , Beatrix started buying more farmland, animals and property. After her marriage, at the age of 47, Beatrix stopped writting, (9) _______ that she had run out of (10) ________. She became a farmer and spent the rest of her life working with her sheep and awarding prizes at sheep fairs

Choose the best answer:
The UK Government ensures that all schools in the UK (55)_______ certain standards, and this includes independent schools as well as those that are (56)_______ by the Government. All qualifications are awarded by national agencies accredited by the Qualification and Curriculum Authority (QCA), (57)_______ the quality of the qualifications you will gain is guaranteed. At many independent schools inEngland, you will be encouraged to take part (58)_______ extracurricular activities to develop your hobbies and learn new skills, and you may be encouraged to take graded music exams (59)_______ by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. The exam grades gained from these are widely accepted toward university entry (60)_______ . Independent schools do not usually offer vocationally focused qualifications but if you are (61)_______ in these qualifications, you can find out more in the 'career-based and pre-university qualifications' section. The (62)_______ you pay to attend independent school, include your course fees, accommodation and may include some or all extracurricular activities. Fees (63)_______ from school to school and are at the discretion of the institution; there are no national standards. You should expect to pay a minimum of £8,000 per year and fees can be (64)_______ high as £25,000

Read and complete the following passage.

"For most people, (1) _________ one's cultural identity is often a way to show who they are and how they relate to others. It can be (2) _________ through their language, food, clothing, beliefs, music and festivals. Among these (3) _________, language is what makes me Vietnamese. There are several reasons for this. Vietnamese is the language that can (4) _________ the people of my country in the face of any danger. Although there are over fifty ethnic groups, we all use Vietnamese as the offical language. It is the means of communication at school and in my community. It allows me to experience and (5) ________ my culture. I am also proud to speak a language that has a long history. Although my country used to be (6) ________ by other countries, the language has always been kept alive. Modern Vietnamese developed from an ancient form similar to other Asian languages. It is written with the Latin alphabet combining letters with tone markings. In conclusion, Vietnamese as the community and national language is the most powerful (7) ________ force. That is why it is also the most meaningful part of my cultural identity. This beautiful and (8) ________ language defines me as a person and I am very proud of it."

Among these (3) _________, language is what makes me Vietnamese.

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
Centuries ago, man discovered that removing moisture from food helped to preserve it, and that the easiest way to do this was to expose the food to sun and wind. In this way the North American Indians produced pemmican (dried meat ground into powder and made into cakes), the Scandinavians made stock fish and the Arabs dried dates and apricots.
All foods contain water - cabbage and other leaf vegetables contain as much as 93% water, potatoes and other root vegetables 80%, lean meat 75% and fish anything from 80% to 60% depending on how fatty it is. If this water is removed, the activity of the bacteria which cause food to go bad is checked.

Fruit is sun-dried in Asia Minor, Greece, Spain and other Mediterranean countries, and also in California, South Africa and Australia. The methods used vary, but in general the fruit is spread out on trays in drying yards in the hot sun. In order to prevent darkening, pears, peaches and apricots are exposed to the fumes of burning sulphur before drying. Plums for making prunes, and certain varieties of grapes for making raisins and currants, are dipped in an alkaline solution in order to crack the skins of the fruit slightly and remove their wax coating, so increasing the rate of drying.
Nowadays most foods are dried mechanically; the conventional method of such dehydration is to put food in chambers through which hot air is blown at temperatures of about 110°C at entry to about 45°C at exit. This is the usual method for drying such things as vegetables, minced meat, and fish.
Liquids such as milk, coffee, tea, soups and eggs may be dried by pouring them over a heated horizontal steel cylinder or by spraying them into a chamber through which a current of hot air passes. In the first case, the dried material is scraped off the roller as a thin film which is then broken up into small, though still relatively coarse flakes. In the second process it falls to the bottom of the chamber as a fine powder.
Where recognizable pieces of meat and vegetables are required, as in soup, the ingredients are dried separately and then mixed.
Dried foods take up less room and weigh less than the same food packed in cans or frozen, and they do not need to be stored in special conditions. For these reasons they are invaluable to climbers, explorers and soldiers in battle, who have little storage space. They are also popular with housewives because it takes so little time to cook them.

According to the passage, dried foods are most useful for     .

Choose the best answer:
British families started going on holiday to the seaside around the middle of the 19th century. The invention of the railways (45) ____ this possible. The first holidaymakers were quite rich and went for their health and education. The seaside was a place to be (46) ____ of illness, and doctors recommended bathing in the sea and drinking sea water. Also to (47) ____ their knowledge, families attended concerts and read books from the library. At that time, ordinary working people had very little time (48) ____ work. However, in 1871, the government introduced four ‗Banking Holiday‘ - national holiday days. This (49) ____ people to have a day or two out, which now and then gave them a taste for leisure and the seaside. At first, they went on day-trips, taking (50) ____ of special cheap tickets on the railways. By the 1880s, rising incomes (51) ____ that many ordinary workers and their families could have a week‘s holiday at the seaside. Rail fares were reduced and cheap hotels were built to (52) ____ them. Holidaymakers enjoyed being idle, sitting on the beach, bathing in the sea, and eating ice-cream. Cheap entertainment was (53) ____ offer and holidaymakers went to have fun. Today the English seaside (54) ____ popular, with more than 18 million holidays taken there each year.

Choose the word or phrase among A, B, C or D that best fits the blank space in the following passage:

"Throughout the world there are different (1) …. for people to greet each other. In much of the world, a handshake is the (2)….  form of welcoming and greeting someone. In many countries around the Mediterranean Sea a (3) … kiss on the cheek is the appropriate way to welcome friends and family. It can be a very (4)… surprise if you expect to shake hands and get a kiss or a hug instead.
 At times, it is difficult to tell what sort of greeting (5)… is followed. People may bow, (6)….. another’s arm or even slap the other person on the back. In some places people just smile, look at (7)….. face and say nothing.
 Most people in the world are (8) ….of visitors and don’t mind what travelers do that seems wrong as long as the visitors are (9)… . A big part of the (10)…. of world travel is experiencing different customs."

4. It can be a very (4)… surprise if you expect to shake hands and get a kiss or a hug instead.

Choose the best answer:
One of the hottest topics on the international development agenda is how to harness the power of International Monetary Fund for the benefit of developing countries. What is sometimes called ―the death of distance‖, brought about by the (55) , allow (56) education and training to be provided easily and quickly to (57) areas. Some of the gains can be seen in countries as diverse as India and Morocco, where innovations range from (58) government announcements to local craftsmen selling their wares to a (59) market. But already a huge and expanding (60) divide is opening up between developed and developing nations. The major tasks facing world leaders at present is to (61) everybody on the planet with clean water, basic education and the drugs needed to fight preventable diseases. Installing a (62) in every classroom and liking us to (63) must be a lesser (64) , for the time being at least